vs
| 04/19/24 - Away | 0-10 L |
| 04/15/24 - Away | 5-15 L |
| 04/24/23 - Home | 1-20 L |
| 04/17/23 - Away | 2-16 L |
| 05/09/22 - Home | 4-3 W |
| + 5 more games |
Dover and Pine Plains are an even 5-5 against one another since May of 2019, but likely not for long. The Dragons will host the Bombers at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
On Wednesday, Dover needed a bit of extra time to put away Millbrook. They came out on top in a nail-biter against the Blazers, sneaking past 5-3. Five seems to be a good number for the Dragons as the team scooped up a victory with the same number of runs in their previous game.
Evan Arnold made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out eight batters over eight innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off ten hits (and only one walk). Arnold was also big at the plate, going 2-for-5 with two RBI, one run, and one double. Those hits marked the first that he has got this season.
Arnold wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Jeramiah Kerr Lucero, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and one stolen base. Those runs were Kerr Lucero's first of the season.
Meanwhile, Pine Plains had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 11 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Monday. They were the clear victors by a 9-2 margin over the Hawks. The Bombers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five contests by seven runs or more this season.
Like Dover, Pine Plains also got a great game from a two-way player: Brodie Rathjen. On the mound, Rathjen tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Warren Lounsbury didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. Rathjen also tossed no walks, which is notable because Pine Plains is 3-1 when he allows at most two walks, but 2-3 otherwise. At the plate, Rathjen got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases and one run, while Lounsbury went 2-for-5 with three stolen bases and two runs. Lounsbury is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games he's played.
In other batting news, Ryan Blass was excellent, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. He is becoming a predictor of Pine Plains' success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 1-4 when he doesn't). Owen Zengen was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Pine Plains' win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 5-4. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.7 runs over those games. As for Dover, the win got them back to even at 2-2.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Dover has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Pine Plains struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5.1 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Dover suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Pine Plains when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Will the Dragons have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
